Advice: Backhoe vs. Traditional Tractor

[Riddler]

I own/maintain only 50 acres, but I use the BH attachment on my tractor almost every week, especially now that it has a "thumb" that makes it easy to grab things with the bucket. I have a lot of site improvement projects to deal with at my place, but even if I bought a place with all new improvements, I could still envision using the BH frequently. Once you have one, you begin thinking about doing things that you never contemplated before.

None of that, however, answers the question of true TLB v. CUT + BH attachment. Personally, I have found very few instances in which I felt I needed the capabilities of a real TLB to get the job done. When I say "get the job done," I am referring only to the result I desire, not the time it takes to get there. In other words, it may take 50% or 100% longer to get the desired result with a BH attachment on a larger CUT then it would with a real TLB, but who really needs the highest production rates when it comes to projects at your own place? For improving/maintaining your own place, it make sense to sacrifice efficiency for increased versatility (i.e., the ability to run a variety of PTO driven implements).

 

[RodneyV]

Thanks for all the replies. Honestly, I think a good traditional tractor can do everything he is wanting to do. His backhoe jobs are really small jobs, renting for those is a good option if absolutely necessary. I've never operated a backhoe so I wasn't sure if it had any other uses, I learned it is a much stronger piece of equipment. He has a pecan bottom that will need to be mowed so a backhoe would be useless for that. He mentioned using his riding mower for this, I don't think so. The grass is 3 foot tall now. I don't think he see's the full picture yet. Buying two pieces of equipment is not an option. I agree it may take a little longer in some cases to get the job done, but there are other jobs you would be unable to do with a TBH.

I've really just met him only a couple times so I don't want to push too hard and start off this new relationship on a bad foot. Again, he is new at the ranch business and is not thinking everything through. Maybe I will get some brochures on the Kubota L48 or a JD 110 and maybe it will turn on the light bulb for him. I also thought about bringing out my little Kubota BX2200 with a FEL and box blade just to show how much power a little garden tractor has. I don't think he's ever been on any kind of tractor to know how much power they have.

Thanks for educating me. It will be 3 weeks before I meet up with him again. Wish me luck.

 

[jfh0jfh]

I have 1000 acres in the texas hill country. I bought a used JD 410 for around 8000 dollars. I have to say I use it all the time, and not just for digging. It makes a great crane for unloading almost anything, and when I cut trees up it is easy to fill the bucket for the trip back to the splitter area. It of course digs well, but also will backdrag and smooth all the roads I have with some speed. I have a dozer, excavator, and a dk55c Kioti for other things, however I realy use the backhoe the most of all. Your father in law will never run out of things to do with it.
rick

Same here (160 acres in OH): the backhoe is the best maintenance tool (I have tractors & a dozer also) - move trees; clean roads, ditches; move some dirt; dig a rock; fix the pond bank; load a junk truck onto a trailer; ... I don't use it daily - or even often now - but it reduces task time and I fix/ improve things I might otherwise leave be.

I sold mine in May and have been looking for a replacement. I have a big list already.

 

[flusher]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

Check the Koyker backhoe attachments:

Koyker backhoe attachment

The KB85 BH can handle a 36"-wide bucket.

Koyker Model KB85 Backhoe attachment

It requires a tractor in the 60hp range, which may be a little small for a 110-acre spread. You may want a tractor in the 100 hp range

 

[Richard]

For the sake of sounding dramatic, I've got a JCB 1550B (15 1/2' digging depth) and I'm sitting on about TWO acres!!! (the reality is, my 2 acres are in the middle of the family farm which is 250)

I've used 'Brutus' for many things:

1. Collecting & then building a retaining wall with HUGE rocks (some over 8' long)
2. Moving downed trees
3. Helping to DOWN trees (place Hoe against tree and help push)
4. Crane some pallats of sod, old trailer, stumps
5. Use hoe to flip old mower over to replace blades
6. Bury dead animals
7. Replant wifes Day lillies! (why use a shovel?)
8. Backdrag gravel driveway with front bucket
9. Use Hoe & strong chain to pull stuck tractor (AND 10' cutter) out of muck
10. Use Hoe to clean up some muck on lakebed when water level was down

and among many other things, item 11.... I say for fun though it's true...

Wife had some kind of Fight fish??? (The kind of fish when put with another fight each other) Well "Hernando" was found belly up one day. Wife was all sad at his demise & wanted me to bury it. I was going to flip him into the woods and she was AGAST at how thoughtless I was being towards this 2 inch long fish. I again offered to simply flip him away and she said I had to BURY him. Sooooooooo, to make a point on how silly this was, I put Hernando into a paper cup, climbed upon Brutus and lumbered to the top of the hill where I commenced to dig a 2' wide by maybe 2' deep hole for him, flipped him inside and then covered the hole. Wife was wondering why I didn't use a shovel.... I was wondering why I WOULD use a shovel.